Yessir! I know it has been some time, but I have finally begun my studies at Bennington!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!!!
First thing I really must say is that it was absolutely fabulous. Next time I go, which will be in January, I will post every day (probably not) I promise. I really want you to have a blow by blow of what happens, how wonderful it is to be there.
This time, I will sum it up.
First word I think of when I think of my Bennington time there is: AWESOME!!!!
Second word: exhausting.
Third: Emotional.
I was so excited by the awesomeness that I became overly emotional which exhausted me. Also, the 45 lectures, 50 readings (not including student readings, but including graduate readings), craft workshops and writing workshops kind of made me a little bit tired too.
Now: I must clarify: you don't have to go to all the lectures, readings (including student readings and also graduate readings), and craft workshops. The only activity every single person is required to do is the writing workshops. However, you want to go to everything. Well, you do at first, then, after a while, you don't want to go to anything (if you're me), then you develop your own filter, but you're already exhausted by the time you do that, plus the things that your filter frees you from, your fast made friends make you go to, plus they make you sit on the steps and drink wine and force you to attend the dance parties, karaoke, talent shows and room parties.
In spite of that, I came home with 22 pages of newly written material to edit, plus amazing feedback and fresh eyes with which to edit both my new and already written materials. I learned that there are stories on the internet. I also came home with great new relationships and a fever to return to the suspended reality of Bennington's Wonderland.
The writers on the campus are amazing. The faculty is genius, the grounds are brilliant, the graduates are inspiring, and your fellow students (term one through four) are the bomb diggidy. If you are a part of the class that will graduate in June, 2013, you feel so lucky and special because there is no doubt that it is the very best class ever ever in all existence.
